Voice recording and reproducing device.



.l. L. WALKER.

VOICE RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 19:3.

1 1 86,7 1 7 Patented June 13, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented June 13, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l. L. WALKER. VOICE RECORDING ANDVREPRODUCING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT. 21 1913- M/VMTUR TORNEY J.L.WALKER WITNESSES:

.I. L. WALKER.

VOICE RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1913.

1,186,717. Patented June 13, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- lllll WITNESSES 2 INVENTOE 6 H mm.

ATTORNEYS .I. L. WALKER.

VOICE RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

rlllllllll I:

I: 'l'IIIIIIII/i') 1-. Ll P-ll WITNESSES INVENTOR J.L.WAIKER PatentedJune 13, 1916.

J. L. WALKER. VOICE RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE. APPLICATION mens:PT.2. 1913.

1,186,717. Patented June 13,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\l}&

63 u H 1 .l i% 419 as 59 n A It 64 I 1 1:! T 39 9.

II I 7 WITNESSES: INVENTOR JUMLKER TTORNEY JACK L. WALKER, 01 DALLAS,TEXAS.

VOICE RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

Application filed September 2, 1913. Serial No. 787,682.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACK L. \VALKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Voice Recording andReproducing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful sound recording and reproducingdevice. Its object is to provide an attachment for a moving picturecamera, which, while a picture is being taken, will produce upon thefilm receiving the picture a continuous photographic record of soundsthat appropriately accompany the picture.

Another object is to provide an apparatus that will cause a certainquantity of light to vary in intensity proportionately with soundvibrations of air, so that by focusing the light upon a strip of movingfilm, a photographic record of the sounds may be produced.

A further object is to provide an attachment for a moving pictureprojecting machine, which, when a strip of film carrying a photographicsound record is traveling before the projecting lens, will reproducefrom the film the sounds recorded thereupon, the projecting pictures andreproduced sounds being synchronous.

A still further object is to provide a means for reproducing sound froma photographic record carried by a film by maintaining travel of thefilm and focusing light through its record-carrying portion upon aselenium cell, contained in an electrical circuit with anelectro-magnetic sound reproducer, causing the resistance of the circuitto vary proportionately as the record on the film varies intransparency.

Still another object is to provide a means by which a continuoussoun'drecord photographically produced upon a negative film may-beaccurately reproduced upon a positive film in an enlarged size.

Finally, the object ofmy invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, that will be strong, durable, simpleand'eificient'and comparatively easy to construct.

With these and various other objects in view, my invention has relationto certain novel features of construction and operation, an example ofwhich is described in the following specification, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, showing in side elevation, my attachment for amoving picture camera, together with certain interior portions of thecamera. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, the sectionbeing taken upon the line-WW-of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectionalview taken upon X-X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view takenupon the line Y-Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view takenupon the line Z-Z of Fig. 2. Fig. 6-is a view, showing in side elevationmy attachment for a. moving picture projecting machine, together withcertain interior portions of the machine, this view being also made toinclude an electro-magnetic sound reproducer which is showndiagrammatically con nected with the projecting machine by. anelectrical circuit. Fig. 7 is a view showing in side elevation mymachine for transferring an enlarged sound record from the negative to apositive film, the casing of the machine being shown in section. Fig. 8is a vertical sectional view of the same taken upon the line H of Fig.7. Fig. 9 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 6-?)of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a detail vertical sectional view taken upon theline 0-0 of Fig. 7.

Referring now more particularly to the film and actuating its travel isold and therefore requires no description or illustration in connectionwith my device.

At an elevation above the lens holder 2, the film 3 has contact with thefront end of a rectangular box 4 impervious to light mounted upon therear wall of the casing, the front wall of said box being formed with apin hole aperture 5, opposite to one of the edge portions of the film.In the rear portion of the box 4, there is mounted an incandescentelectric bulb 6, which may derive current from any suitable source. Inthe middle portion of the box 4, a pair of rectangular frames 7 and 8are mounted mount similar circular diaphragms 9. The

frame 7 is permanently engaged in a rigid relation with the box 4 by twocap screws 10, one of which enters said,.frame through the top of thebox and one through'the bottom thereof. The two frames 7 and 8 areconnected at their corners by four elongated mounted fast in thehorizontal bolts 11,

freely through the frame 7, but passing frame 8. Upon each bolt 11,there is mounted a coiled spring 12 having its extremities respectivelyabutting against the two frames, serving to hold the frame 8, firmlypressed against adjusting thumb-nuts 13 mounted upon the free ends ofthe bolts 11. By means of said thumb --nuts, the frame 8 may besubjected to a delicate adjustment to or from the frame 7. To thecenters of the diaphragms 9,.there are secured short horizontally alinedwires 14, which are respectively connected with two rectangular frames15 containing sheets of mica or some similar transparent substance,indicated by the numeral 15. Said sheets of mica are suspendedverticallyand transversely of the box 4 by threads 16, attached to the top of saidbox midway between its side walls and centrally secured to the upperedges of the members 15. The threads 16 and wires 14 together hold in aslightly spaced relation. Upon each of the members 15*, there areprovided a plu ra-lity of very closelyadjacent vertical lines of a blackor other opaque color. The side walls of the box 4 are formed oppositeto the diaphragms 9 with rectangular apertures 17, into each of whichthere is fitted a metallic sound transmitter 18, one of which has ascrew-threaded connection with the frame 7 as indicated at 19, while theother is held in place by set-screws 20, passing respectively throughthe top and bottom walls of the box 4. The transmitters 18 are formedwith integral elbows 21, which respectively communicate with tubes 22,(preferably flexible) extending toward the front of the casing 1, abovethe lens holder 2, and communicating with a member 23 mounted in thefront casing wall. The member 23 is formed with an annular threadedflange 24, receiving a member 25 having the form of an ordinarytelephone mouth-piece.

In the front portion of the box 4, there is mounted a lens 26, sodisposed that such light from the lamp 6 as reaches said lens throughthe members 15 will be focused through the aperture 5 upon an edgeportion of the film 3, forming a line 26 An explanation will now begiven as to the operation of the above described attach-- ment to amoving picture camera. While a picture is being taken, the lamp 6 iskept the members 15 Y 28, opposite to which a film 28 thereupon.

incandescent bnlb 31 within lighted, and the travel of the film ismaintained in the usual manner. The air vi- .brations created by thevarious sounds ac- 'one of said members will be opposite to the spacesbetween the lines provided upon the other member so that a negligiblequantity of light from the lamp 6 will pass through the two members. Butwhen the two members are in vibratory motion, the relation between thelines formed upon the two members will be constantly varying, themagnitude of this variation being proportionate to the magnitude of theair vibrations. While the members 15 are in vibration, therefore, aconstantly varying quantity of light emitted by the lamp 6 will passthrough the members 15-, the intensity of this light, varying in unisonwith the intensity of the vibratory force acting upon the members 15. Acertain quantity of the light thus passing through the members 15 willpass also through the lens 26 which will focus this light upon themoving film 3 through the aperture 5, thus producing upon the sensitizedsurface of the film the line 26 parallel and adjacent to one of the filmedges. This line will vary in transparency according as the light whichproduced it, varied in intensity, and hence will be an accuratephotographic record of the sounds produced in the vicinity of the cameraduring the taking of a moving picture, each sound being recordedadjacent to the pictures taken while the sound was being produced.

A description will now be given of an attachment to a moving pictureprojecting machine, which attachment serves to reproduce the soundsrecorded upon a film in the manner set forth in the precedingdescription. The casing 27 of the projecting machine is provided withthe usual lens holder is adapted to travel vertically within saidcasing. The means for supporting the film within said casing and foractuating its travel are not new and require no description orillustration herein. A rectangular box 29 is mount ed within the casing1 upon the rear wall thereof in substantially the same relation to themember 28.-and to the film 28 as has been already described inconnection with the moving picture camera attachment. In the front ofthe box 29 is formed a pin-hole aperture 30, through which light from anthe box may reach and pass through a record line 31 parency as carriedby an edge portion of the strip 28. The record line 31 carried by thefilm 28 has precisely the same variations in transthat produced upon thefilm 3, but has a greater width. The means for producing the line 31 arehereinafter described. Directly opposite to the aperture 30, a seleniumcell 32 is mounted upon the front wallof the casing, said cell beingcontained in a circuit 33 in which are also included the coils 34 of apowerful sound transmitter, the diaphragm of which is indicated at 35and the sound amplifying horn at 36. Any suitable source ofelectromotive force may be included in the circuit 33.

In the operation of my attachment to a motion picture projecting machinethe light 31 will be maintained constantly lighted while the film 28 isin motion. The rays from the lamp 31 passing through the aperture andthrough the record line 31 upon the film will impinge upon 32, with anintensity varying as the transparency of the record varies. This willcause the resistance of the circuit 33 to vary in synchronism with thevariations in transparency of the sound record so that the resultingvibrations of the diaphragm will reproduce the sounds recorded upon thefilm. Since the sounds recorded upon the film are reproducedsimultaneously with the projection of pictures made during theproduction of the sounds, the projection of the pic tures upon the filmwill be synchronous with the sound reproduction. That nism maybeperfect, the rays of light should pass through the record line 31 at thesame distance above the lens-holder as in the moving picture cameraattachment.

A description will now be given of a machine which is employed toproduce upon a positive film 28 an enlarged reproduction of thesound-record line 26 formed as fpreviously described upon a negative lm.Within a casing 37, upon the top and bottom thereof, there arerespectively mounted pairs of brackets 38, each pair of brackets servingto rotatably support a pair of horizontally alined fihn reels 40 and 41.The reels 40 and the reels 41 are respectively vertically alined. Theupper reel 40 when mounted in its correlated brackets carries a negativefilm 3, which film is vertically extended to the lower reel 40 uponwhich it is adapted to be wound. The upper reel 41 when placed in itscorrelated bracket carries a positive film 28 which is extendedvertically to the lower reel 41 upon which it is adapted to be wound.The vertical portions of the two films 3 and 28" have a parallel spacedrelation. Each pair of brackets 38 carries a pair of guide rollers 42,which serve to hold the vertical portions of the two films constantlyspaced the same distance during their travel.

the .selenium cell In the same wall of The two films are adapted totravel downwardly at exactly the same rate of speed,

their travel being induced by a small electric motor 43 driving thelower reel 41 through a belt 44. The lower reel 41 drives the lower reel40 through a crossed belt 45. The lowermost reels 49 and 41 are driven,not to actuate the travel of the films, but to take up the slack of thefilms as they are driven downwardly. The mechanism for driving the filmscomprises two pairs of star wheels 46 mounted in the upper pair ofbrackets 38, engaging the lines of perforation 39 carried by the edgeportions of the two films. The star wheels driving the film 28 aredriven from the motor 43 through a belt 47, and the other pair of starwheels is driven by a sprocket chain 48 carried by sprocket wheelsmounted upon the spindles of the star wheels.

The vertical portion of the film 3 is contiguous with one end of aclosed box 49, containing a lamp or a plurality of lamps 50, the otherend of which box is mounted fast upon the casing 37. That end of the box49 with which the film 3 is contiguous, is formed with a rectangularopening 51, having its vertical edges alined with the vertical edges ofthe picture carrying portion of the fil-m, and having a height equal toone of the pictures carried by the film 3. the box 49, there is formed apin hole aperture 52 which is alined with the record line 26. Within thebox 49, there is mounted a shutter 53 which is held contiguous with theapertured end of said box by angular strips 54 respectively secured tothe top and bottom of said box. The shutter 53 is imperforate except forthe pin hole aperture 55, which in one limiting position of the shutteris alined with the aperture 52. In the same limiting position of theshutter, it completely covers the rectangular aperture 51, preventingany light escaping from the box 49 except through the pin-hole apertures55 and 52. In the other limiting position of said shutter, the same isshifted to a large extent out of the box 49 uncovering the rectangularaperture 51 and covering the pin-hole aperture 52. The means forshifting the shutter 53 between its limiting positions comprises ahandle member 56 integrally formed with the shutter and passing throughan aperture 57 in the casing 37.

Between the vertical portions of the films 3 and 28, there is mounted afunnel-shaped casing 58 having its center line transverse of the filmsand passing through the aperture 52. The member 58 is supported rigidlyby a bracket 59 secured to oneof the Walls of the casing 37. In thesmall end of the member 58, which end is closely adjacent to the box 49,there is secured a pair of guide plates 61 respectively extendingupwardly and 52 and through the scribed may and downwardly, extremitiesslightly away from the lm, guiding the and the box 4!). \Vithin thesmall end of the casing 58. is centrally mounted a double convex lens60, which will transmit any rays of light passing through the aperturesfilm and will conrays of light passing through it, focusing upon an edgeporfilm 28. To prevent any diffusion of these rays such as might causesome of them to impinge upon the central portion of the film 28. thelarge end of the casing 58 is inclosed as indicated at 63, the member 63being formed with a slit 65 through which the rays are projected uponthe film 28. Above and below curved guide plates member 63 to steady thefilm 28 vertical travel.

An explanation will now operation of the device which has just beendescribed. The object 'of this device is to reproduce the record linenegative film 3 in an enlarged size upon the positive film 28, so thatwhen the positive film is passed through a projecting machine carryingmv sound reproducing attachment, a larger quantity of light may be begiven as to the more pronounced. During the process of enlarging therecord line, the films 3 and 28 chine.-

through every and will be focused in the form of a small rectangle uponthe edge portion of the film his light, in pa$ing through the recordline of the film 3 will ary in intensity according as said record linevaries in transparency, and this light being focused upon the film 28will produce thereupon a record line 31 varying in transparencyuniformly with the record line 26. largement of the line produced uponthe film 28 is due to the cylinder lens 62.

he machine which has be employed also tively upon the film 28, thetively carried by the film 3. In using the machine for this purpose, thepositive and negative films will be carried as before, re-

just been deto print posipictures negaand curved at their free:

spectively by the two upper reels 40 and 41.

In this case, however, stead of passing vertically to the lower reel 41,will be extended over a roller 66 carried by the uppermost pair ofbrackets 38 and will then be extended downwardly contiguously with thefilm 3 passing with said film between the box 4!) and the plates 61.After passing below the lower plate 61, the film 28 will be extended tothe lower reel 41 upon which it will be wound. The star wheels 46engaging the apertures 39 of the film 3 will also engage the sameapertures in the film 28. so that the one pair of star wheels willactuate the travel downwardly of the two films. The shutter 53 will nowbe shifted outwardly so as to leave the rectangular aperture 51unobstructed allowing the light from the lamp 50 to pass through saidaperture 51 and through the two films, the two films being actuateddownwardly. The light passing through the film 3 will produce upon thesensitized face of the film 28' positive reproductions of the negativepictures carried by the film 3.

In Figs. 9 and 10 the box 49 contains tWo lamps 50 of which the lefthand lam is used to reproduce the picture, when light from the otherlamp is shut off by shutter The right hand lamp is used, when the lefthand lamp is shut off, in the reproduction of the magnified voicerecord.

he invention is presented as including all such modifications andchanges as properly come within the scope of the following claim.

\Vhat I claim is:

n a device of the character described, the combination with an elongatedstrip of sensitized, film, of means for inducing longiof said strip,means for p ectmg light upon a portion of the film during its travel, aplurality of adjacent members interposed between the source of saidlight and the film, said members having alternate transparent and opaqueportions of very small area, means for adjusting said members parallelto each other, vibratory diaphragms correlated With said members, andcommunicating their vibrations to the same. the joint transparency ofsaid members being varied proportionately to the intensity of thevibrations communicated to the same, and means for conducting soundvibrations of air to said diaphragms.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACK L. WALKER.

the positive film in- Witnesses:

J. S. MURRAY, MAYBELLE RnAvEs.

